The Era Of Good Feeling

Forty-four pitches for Brad Penny in the first inning; four runs for the Twins. 

The Tigers had them right where they wanted them. 

Homers by Avila (two on in the third), Santiago (one on in the fourth) and Delmon Young (solo in the fifth) got the Tigers back in the game, where we knew they would eventually be despite the bad first inning. 

Final: 8-4 Tigers. Penny went five and got the win.  

The Tigers have won 17 of their last 21 and are hitting over.300 as a team since mid-August, with just enough pitching from guys not named Justin Verlander to run away with the division.  The fan gets that feeling; that no matter how far behind they fall, however early, they'll find a way to win. 

It's also a nice to watch them add to a lead in September instead of lose it --

You stopped calling them the Pretenders. (Maggie is reading over my shoulder.) Or, what was your other name for them? The Heartbreakers?  

Yes, my queen. Back in May, when they were pretending to be contending, and breaking hearts all over the place -- 

And you stopped picking on Ryan Raburn. Good for you. I like him. He's cute. 

RR has also remembered what baseball bats are for, and, in this late season Era Of Good Feeling, the most villified of Tigers can be forgiven.

Speaking of Hinge: he is taking part in the fun, and could be elected governor right now, even with his .190 batting average. Over .200, and the Draft Inge Committee will go to work. Still lots of time left before the 2012 presidential election. 

 Criswell Predicts: Hinge is going to do something big in tomorrow's game.